Chapter 69
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: What to Do
'They said he'd been holed up without seeing anyone for over ten days since arriving at the Dragon Training Pavilion... No wonder.'
Dong Ju-san gazed at the towering stack of documents before Yeon Baek-jin, his face etched with exhaustion.
He had nearly given away his presence from the sheer shock of it all.
And from the words and actions of this attendant...
The man seemed utterly mad.
'Still, his abilities are the real deal. I want to drag him back to the main family.'
But if he tried, there was a ten-out-of-ten chance Yeon Baek-ryang would lop off his head.
His master was the sort who kept far too many secrets from his subordinates.
Displaying this level of skill back in the Yeon Clan would spell certain death.
'If he's buried in paperwork like that, he probably hasn't had time to plot anything special here in the Pavilion...'
Was his gut feeling off this time?
Dong Ju-san furrowed his brow.
He had been certain some clue about Yeon Ha-min would turn up here.
Dong Ju-san carefully shifted his position.
From this vantage, he could see every document Gi Yu-chan was scribbling away at.
The brush flew across the page in swift, unbroken strokes—too fast to even read while tracking it with his eyes.
Yet he habitually committed the details to memory, his focus locked on the papers.
'Huh? That just now?'
Two characters that flickered past.
Definitely "Ha-min."
Ha-min.
An utterly ordinary name.
How many people named Ha-min could there be across this vast martial world?
But once more, his intuition screamed to zero in on it.
It had started with that faint reaction when dealing with Yeon Baek-jin back at the main house—a hunch that hadn't let up since.
'Hmm. What to do.'
Ha Mu-baek scowled, creases forming between his brows.
He had read that same document the kid had just scanned. Every last character. Meticulously.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
It was just the roster for Graceful Dragon Dormitory.
'What a guy—obsessing over even the pettiest details.'
What the hell was he supposed to do with this rat?
His reaction suggested he'd caught a whiff of something. But he clearly hadn't seen the full name, Yeon Ha-min.
If he had, he wouldn't be lurking here—he'd be hightailing it to Graceful Dragon Dormitory.
Not with someone from the Yeon Clan tailing him.
Putting the bastard down to seal his lips would be child's play. But it would only tip them off that something was up in the Pavilion.
[Listen up.]
Ha Mu-baek opted for a telepathic message straight to Yeon Baek-jin.
A sudden voice in the mind would jolt anyone, but Yeon Baek-jin carried on with his work, cool as ever.
No ordinary man.
[A rat from the Yeon Clan is on your tail.]
"Ahem. Hmm. Cough."
Ha Mu-baek's follow-up transmission prompted a dry cough from Yeon Baek-jin.
"What's the matter?"
Gi Yu-chan's eyes flicked to Yeon Baek-jin at the abrupt sounds.
"My throat's scratchy—must be the dryness."
With that, Yeon Baek-jin lifted his long-cold tea to his lips.
"I should have them bring fresh tea."
Yeon Baek-jin rose from his seat.
"No need. The air in here is stifling, so I'll just step out for a moment to catch some breeze."
Gi Yu-chan tensed briefly at the prospect of the office emptying out, then nodded.
He'd watched Yeon Baek-jin tackle the workload for nearly ten days straight—trust had formed.
"Safe travels. I'll have new tea ready."
Yeon Baek-jin left the office and made for the rear garden of the Pavilion Lord's quarters.
The afternoon sun blazing from the west packed real heat.
He stood motionless in the shade.
A soft breeze rustled through his hair.
[The rat followed you out. Definitely surveilling the Vice Pavilion Lord.]
Yeon Baek-jin, hands clasped behind his back, stared blankly at the garden.
Dong Ju-san poured every sense into watching him.
The sudden venture outdoors felt loaded.
[Yeon Ha-min's name was in the documents Gi Yu-chan was reviewing earlier.]
Ha Mu-baek's transmission made Yeon Baek-jin take a small step—masking his jolt of surprise.
Why else had he confined himself to the office?
To dodge any encounter with Yeon Ha-min. Yet here her name was, in the very papers crossing his desk.
And with the clan's spy eyeing his every move...
Eventually, he'd spot it in the documents.
[Taking out the rat would be simple, but it could stir up a hornet's nest.]
Yeon Baek-jin glanced skyward for a beat, then dropped his gaze to the ground.
A nod of sorts.
"The sun's still awfully fierce."
He muttered evenly, then turned back into the shade.
'Suspicious as hell...'
It looked downright odd to Dong Ju-san's eyes.
But no matter how he stretched his senses, the area was empty.
Yeon Baek-jin stood alone.
'What to do with this guy.'
Ha Mu-baek eyed Dong Ju-san, his face heavy with concerns.
With the rat glued to Yeon Baek-jin like that, no chance for a proper talk. He could transmit, but Yeon Baek-jin couldn't reciprocate.
Too many shackles, all to avoid hinting at secrets in the Pavilion.
About the time it takes a stick of incense passed.
Yeon Baek-jin returned to the office. A steaming teapot now sat on the desk.
Sorted his thoughts?
Yeon Baek-jin began organizing the document stacks.
"What's this?"
"Figured it's best to tackle the urgent ones first. The sheer volume had me chipping away at whatever came, but now I've got some breathing room."
The papers mentioning Yeon Ha-min were all minor trivia.
The sort the Pavilion Lord or Vice would never bother reviewing.
Yet this work-obsessed Gi Yu-chan was submitting every last one.
Sorting by urgency meant prioritizing high-importance tasks first—ones unlikely to carry Yeon Ha-min's name.
"You do the same: sort by priority and pass them over."
"Got it."
Made perfect sense, so Gi Yu-chan wrapped up his current sheet, then got to sorting as well.
[I'll visit tonight.]
To converse past the rat's watchful eyes, he'd need the cover of night.
Fooling an infiltration expert was doable, but it meant Yeon Baek-jin couldn't pinpoint his spot.
To let him locate while evading the rat meant tapping darkness's power.
Chujing—the dead heart of the Ox Hour (2 a.m.).
Deep into the night.
Only now could Yeon Baek-jin finally stretch out on his bed.
Dong Ju-san shadowed him the whole way.
Throughout, Yeon Baek-jin had tuned his senses to peak sharpness, hunting the watcher—yet sensed not a whisper.
Fooling his awareness perfectly.
'Someone of this caliber...'
Yeon Baek-jin recalled the arms of his eldest brother in his memories.
Likely one of the innermost circle.
No other explanation for evading his senses so flawlessly.
[Roll over onto your back. Upper corner of the room, above your head.]
Ha Mu-baek's transmission rang out.
Yeon Baek-jin turned naturally, peering through slitted eyes.
A hazy shadow amid the gloom.
Imperceptible unless you knew to look—ghostly even then.
Ghost Phantom Illusion Step.
A stealth art blending seamlessly with surroundings, one Ha Mu-baek had stumbled upon and mastered amid wartime chaos.
Perfected further in darkness—and with position revealed and stealth slightly eased, Yeon Baek-jin could spot it.
Dong Ju-san, senses pinned on Yeon Baek-jin, stood no chance.
[Truly remarkable. Staring right at it, knowing it's there, and still... nothing.]
[Just a cheap trick.]
Ha Mu-baek brushed off the admiration in Yeon Baek-jin's transmission.
Now that he could fix Ha Mu-baek's position, Yeon Baek-jin could transmit back.
[Where's the rat?]>
[Outside the window. Any guess who?]
[One of big brother's top aides. Face would confirm, but... if he's that close outside and I still sense nothing...]
From the spot Ha Mu-baek named, Yeon Baek-jin pinned down one man.
Only one under Yeon Baek-ryang excelled at stealth like this.
Which sparked the question.
Wasn't he assigned to Gong-hu?
Stuck there on faith that Gong-hu would eventually link up with the girl.
'So why me...'
He wasn't worth monitoring.
When the girl left the clan, he'd only handled a few tasks at Gong-hu's behest.
Not even told her destination.
Himself shocked speechless sensing her presence here upon arrival.
[Dong Ju-san, most likely. Top three stealth experts in the clan. Best of big brother's crew.]
[So how do we handle it? He'll poke around the Pavilion while tailing the Vice—bound to uncover something.]
[Dire straits. Discovery means an urgent dispatch to brother.]
[Could get ugly.]
Ha Mu-baek transmitted flatly, like a casual mutter.
Yeon Baek-jin, eyes shut and tossing, yanked the blanket over his face. Then grimaced fiercely.
He could picture the ugliness all too well.
'What a headache.'
No kidding.
His posting here, Dong Ju-san's tail—her presence was just a matter of time from exposure.
'Gong-hu. Gong-hu. What sort of scheme did you cook up? Even if her tracks were cold...'
He'd hidden her well enough, after all. No traces for a good half-year.
Still none, even now.
[I'll buy you some time. Mull it over.]
Ha Mu-baek dumped the hassle.
Truth be told, razing the Yeon Clan would solve it neatly. But he'd ruled that out.
Master's words stayed his hand.
Family, still.
Had to weigh her view.
Then a stray thought hit.
Just handle the root of this mess?
[What if I take out the young lord?]
Ha Mu-baek's abrupt query landed.
Under the covers, Yeon Baek-jin squeezed his eyes shut. Lust-crazed and baser than a beast or not, blood tied them.
[I'll find a way somehow. Just a bit more time.]
What way, though?
Ha Mu-baek wondered.
Hadn't the Pang Clan already shown how "prestigious houses" operated?
No real blood link, but a nephew on paper. Easiest fix: scrap the trash lusting after the girl.
Couldn't risk blood now, mid-detox from his ingrained slaughter scent.
'Gotta trust master.'
Leaving his brother behind chafed, but no one more reliable than his master here.
That let Ha Mu-baek decide.
[Off for some field training.]
[Pardon?]
Yeon Baek-jin queried the out-of-left-field remark.
[Meant to take him early next year, but might as well now. Easier to shake tails if needed.]
[Meaning?]
[I'll be gone a spell—handle procedures lightly. Keep Gi from churning out busywork docs.]
Ha Mu-baek left it at that and vanished.
Yeon Baek-jin sensed nothing amiss, kept transmitting to the spot—but silence answered.